This Week is Going to be Great!

Good morning!

 my week. went so fast. that doesn't come as a big surprise though, right? it seems to go fast every week. what happened to the last 3 months? I'm more than halfway done with my training now.

i've recorded the day by day stuff in my journal... and i've been adding more of the spiritual stuff. when i added the stuff about the priesthood two weeks ago, it was only because i had room left on the paper and didn't know what else to tell you. i asked Sis. M what i should write and she mentioned that she really enjoyed what Pres. Dearden said at the fireside... so i wrote it down.  i'm glad you enjoyed it. i'm glad sis. M mentioned it. now i'm writing down random things that i study, quotes that i like and such.  you'll have to give me some feedback on it.

i love serving! (though i won't lie... it's hard.) the hardest part, i think, is the feeling that i'm not doing enough. we work so hard, but people use their agency and choose to ignore us, or not keep their commitments, or make silly choices.  Agency is amazing! we can choose for ourselves... but how frustrating... when i know the blessings the gospel can have in someone else's life and they still cohose to reject it... makes me think. how much more frustrating would it be to our Heavenly Father? He knows exactly what would make us happy... he has this amazing plan for all of us, and He wants us all to have so many great blessings, but so many people reject it.  We think that what we are asked to do is too hard, or so simple that it would be a waste of time... but it's not!  The Lord is bound when we do what He says... and for everything he has asked us to do there is a blessing tied to that commandment.... our natural man tries to take over. convinces us that it's too hard to read our scriptures each night, or to pray, or to serve those around us... but it'll be much harder in the end... knowing that we had the opportunity and we didn't do it.

I WILL GO AND DO.... even though it's hard... I want to FIND JOY IN THE JOURNEY. an adage i came u pwith this morning (you'll get to hear it twice cuz i wrote it in my journal too...) "Don't worry about tomorrow, but strive to make today and yesterday worth REMEMBERING!"  .... i'm really gonna focus on that.  i'll still make goals for the future, but i'm going to focus on making each day worthwhile.  I've already gotten through nearly 3 months here. i can see how fast it is going to go.  I want to be able to look back and remember the miracles, to remember all the hard work, and see that it was worthwhile.  I also really loved the quote from sis. Uchtdorf (given via Pres. Uchtdorf) "It's not a race, it's a journey. Enjoy the moment." (oct 2012)

Inspiring.

Anyways. I did hear about the elections.  It was quite popular news here. Several people stayed up late in the night here to watch the results.  I'm actually kind of relieved that Romney isn't the president.  It would've mixed politics in with people's opinion of the church. that could've made things harder... especially for missionary work. Everytime something would've gone wrong in the white house... or if anything happened that some people didn't agree with... people would begin to blame it on mormons.  now. though this isn't the kindest way to look at it... every time something bad happens people will wonder if Romney couldn've done better because he had better standards and a solid christian background. Any publicity is good publicity right?

we actually discussed that idea a bit in relief society yesterday.  how the world seems to target mormons.  with the election, the musical, anti-mormon literature and websites... but in the end, for those who are prepared and humble, it is actually a good thing. we've heard stories about how people hear all these negative things about us and decide that, like all portrayals from the media, it is probably one sided. so they do some research, and come to find the Saints as good people, and often even determine for themselves the truthfulness of our doctirne. Christ's doctrine.  We had two media referrals this past week even... those aren't all that common.  they generally come from people who get on to mormon.org and request a book, a dvd or a missionary visit.  our 2 referrals requested visits. we were able to contact 1 so far... we'll meet him on friday!  Miracles.

sis. M and i were actually talking about it last night. she was saying that she'd like to find one solid, golden investigator through our own efforts (not through referrals, or formers) but i argued that we are working so hard in this area, and though the people that we meet use their agency to reject us, the lord is blessing us and bringing those who are ready to us... via referals.  Our newest investigator is a perfect example of this. she is absolutely golden, and though we didn't find her (she didn't need finding) we are blessed because the Lord has been preparing her for this and He has given us the wonderful opportunity to be the ones to help her learn more about the restoration and what it can mean in her life.

and you know what. just writing all that out totally helped me just now. I feel that even more strongly.  for every person who says no to us on the street or at their door... someone in the world is being prepared to recieve the fulness of the gospel, and while I may not be the means of bringing hundreds of people in England/Wales to salvation.. i am still making a difference.  by small and simple things right? I definitely feel small and simple on a regular basis. so the verses that talk about 'weaknesses will become strengths' and 'by small and simple things will I bring to pass mighty miracles' ...

This week is going to be great! We have several DAs, and a lesson with our newest investigator tomorrow.  We have an appt in Barry with a LA member who has a large family. We'd love to be able to bring them to church (the parents are the only members...) this gospel is such a blessing for families! 

I can see each day... each moment... strengthening my faith... if it didn't i'd prolly keeel over. Hard stuff. I do see God's hand in my life... though I generally feel quite inadequate in my own faith... i'm really trying to focus on feeling and following spiritual promptings. it's not really something i focused heavily on in the past... i know i've had them, but i don't recall in great moments that i can look back on to hold back my personal doubts...

i love this gospel. and i love this work! I can't wait to see the miracles that will happen through the blessing from the Lord!  this is the Lord's mission... if it was just me, I'd be wasting time.

Thank you for all the love and support you give. and sorry if my thoughts are really random today... i'm now down to my last five minutes. sad day. I love you all sooooooooo soooooo much!  Knowing this gets me through the rough times